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January 31, 2013

Pluralism & Christianity

One of the most offensive claims of Christianity to modern people is that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled to God. We're encouraged within the church and without to update the Gospel to a contemporary world. Drop this offensive element because we have to make it more palatable to modern people.

I heard Timothy Keller make a great point. It's rather obvious, but I've never heard anyone make it plainly before. Christianity was born in a pluralistic society. This is nothing modern. And if it began in a pluralist society with that narrow claim, there's nothing about contemporary circumstances that should motivate us to change it.

First century Judea was a Roman colony. The Romans told Christians they could worship their Jesus as long as they also called Caesar Lord. They didn't do it and paid with their lives. Paul preached on Mars Hill to people who believed in a variety of gods, and He told them who the one true God was. Even ancient Israel lived in a pluralistic society with Canaanites deities and Egyptian gods, but they were people of the One True God.

There's nothing new about religious pluralism. And there's nothing new about the pressures from culture to compromise the central truth of Christianity that there is one God and Jesus, His Son, is the only one who can reconcile us with Himself.

And what is the modern pluralist appeal based on? The fact-faith divide, which is a European Enlightenment idea, which pretty much only western white people believe. How narrow and imperialist is that!

Comments

"God is the only way to God".

Why is that either offensive or illogical?

Can man break through God's Skin, and thereby enter God, without going through God?

"The Only Way" seems odd to some because people either don't think about logic, or, they don't understand the Christian claim on Word-Made-Flesh. Or, and worst of all, they really do think that Man can break through God's Own Skin without piercing God's Own Skin and thus, somehow, bypass God to get into God.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that this unique claim of Christianity is the only description of "getting into God" that makes any logical sense at all.

Entering the Cube is easy once you find the Cube, but where is it? There are many different paths that all lead you to the one true Cube.

By the way, you make an interesting suggestion that polytheism is a kind of pluralism. It's true the pagans were more tolerant of different religious beliefs. What's new today perhaps is pluralism among different monotheists.

I think a lot of people have a problem with the claims of Christianity for other reasons than just exclusivity. People don't want to bend the knee. It's very simple. We live in a society that teaches self-fulfillment on every level and that we are the most important (e.g. YouTube, MySpace, Self Magazine, etc). When we teach ourselves that we are so important we turn into narcissists.

Christianity teaches to deny oneself and carry your cross. People think that being a Christian is a all about following rules or you go to hell, and that is partly our fault for poorly communicating the Gospel message. To me, being a follower of Christ means doing good things not to get into heaven, but BECAUSE I am going to heaven. It's showing honor and making sure everything I do is God-honoring. Sure, I stumble every now and again, but that is when I go to Jesus and admit I failed and need his forgiveness.

A lot of people today won't admit they have failed and don't feel the need to repent of any wrongdoing. Christianity teaches that we are fallible humans--in today's "you rule" society, there isn't room for that.

3) There are many different paths that all lead you to the one true Cube

It may be true that many roads lead up to the front door of a House. Now, [arriving at] a Door is quite different than [going into] a House, with which that Door is one.

Jesus is not part of the Cube if he is a lier. He makes some odd claims about Himself as the only way. Now, at that point, rather than recoil, we must remember exactly what Christ "is". Word-Made-Flesh, and, Love-Manifest. That is to say, Love Himself Manifest.

And there is this other thing, which is also unique: Ransom.

In all things, through all avenues, within all vectors, we find simply Every-Thing streaming in from Heavenward toward Manward where Christianity is concerned. This too is unique. And, of course, Love is just that: Other and not Self.

And that is what the God who Is-Love does, is, and manifests as. When He comes, we find Him there, high on a Hill, and He spreads His arms wide, and pours Himself out for His Beloved.

I think that you nailed it. Self absorption leads to self delusion and this is certainly a large part of what the culture offers today. It offers built in problems that you don't have to work hard to have since it is all simply handed to you on a silver platter. The bling of the ornate platter just fools you into thinking it's something good, when it is actually poison. However, the pluralism is the garnish that goes along with it and is just as toxic.